Packing and cushioning element



Jan. 2 7, 1942. D. A. BRUGGER PACKING AND CUS'HIONING ELEMENT Filed May 22, 1939 Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE PACKING AND GUSHIONING ELEMENT Delwin A. Brugger, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 22, `1939, Serial No. 275,002 4 claims. (01.154454) My invention relates to a packing and cushioning element and has for its principal object, the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive element composed principally of thin, flexiblematerial that is cut, arranged and associated With a facing sheet of thin, flexible mate rial, so as to provide a packing sheet having a substantial degree of resiliency and consequently producing cushioning and protective effects while in use for packing and protective purposes.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a highly effective packing element thatis inexpensive of manufacture, thus enabling the product to be economically used for the packing and protection of furniture, bric-a-brac, glass and chinaware, and other fragile articles, when the same are packed for transportation.

A further object of my invention is, to provide a. packing element of the character referred to that may be advantageously used as an underlying pad or lining for floor covers, such as carpets and rugs, in `which either the lining or pad is treated so as to provide effective protection against moths and other insects.

A further object of my invention is, to provid a packing and cushioning element wherein ythe main body thereof may be manufactured from waste material, for instance, discarded newspapers, magazines, or the like. Y

A further object of my invention is,fto provide a flexible resilient element that may be utilized as an inexpensive and effective insulation against sound and varying temperatures.

With the foregoing and other objects in View,

kmy invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a strip of thin, flexible material having a portion crimped and folded to form the main body portion of the packing element.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion o f a packing element constructed in accordance with my invention. 1

Fig. 3 is an elevational View of a portion of the element with the crimped and folded member applied to one side of a facing or backing sheet.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified construction wherein the crimped, flexible members are applied to both sides of a sheet of thin, exible material.

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified construction wherein the folded and crimped strips are arranged between two facing 'sheets of thin,

flexible material.

In the production of my improved packing product, narrow strips of uniform Width are produced from thin, exiblematerial, such as paper, Cellophane, or in some instances fabric, and, these strips are crimped andfolded transversely so as to produce substantially rectangular sections II that are compacted or pressedA against eachother so as to produce an elongated flexible body I2 and which latterhas uniform Width and height throughout its length.

These bodies of crimped andfoldedmaterial may be produced in any suitable manner and by the use of suitable mechanism, for instance, sheets of paper or other thin, exible material, may be-cut into narrow strips and at rthe time the strips are formed, or immediately thereafter, they are crimped and' folded to formxthe elongated rectangularA bodiescomposed of the layers or sections II. n

For all practical purposes in cushioning furniture, bric-a-brac, and the like, that is being packed for storage or transportation, I prefer to form these flexible members with cross sectional dimensions of approximately a quarteror fivesixteenths of an inch and with a length of from four to ten inches. l

After the bodies I 2 have been'formed, they are applied to a flat facing or backing sheet I3, .preferably thin, iiexible material, such as paper,;light weight cardboard, fabric, or the like, withthe cut edges'on the lower'.ends of the sections. Il, or the edges that contact kwith `the sheet I3, 'secured thereto by suitable adhesive, preferably water-proof glue.

The bodies of crimped and folded material-may be placed on the backing or facing sheetin' predetermined regular arrangement, although TI 1 prefer to place said bodies yon the sheet in irregular or hit andimliss arrangement, so as to more effectively resistY strains l, resulting from. pressure and whichwould otherwise tend to crush the folded strips.

Thus when the elongated flexible bodies of folded material are mounted on the facing or backing sheet, the edges at the lower ends of the bodies are secured to the sheet and the edges at the upper ends of said bodies and which are exposed, lie immediately adjacent each other and combine to form the exposed surface of the complete packing elemen-t. When so arranged, the connected side edges of the sections II are disposed at right angles to the upper and lower edges of said sections andlikewise at right angles to the backing sheetl I3 to which the elongated flexible bodies are secured.

Thus when a large number of the bodies com-- prising the folded strips are applied to a facing or backing sheet, the resulting structure produces a thick, flexible, resilient sheet that may be effectively used as a packing wrapper for furniture, bric-a-brac, glass and chinaware, or in fact all fragile articles, that are packed for transportation and also as a protective covering for large heavy articles of furniture having finished surfaces that must necessarily be protected while in storage or transit.

The layer formed by the flexible bodies when applied to a backing sheet as illustrated in Fig. 2, provides a highly effective packing due to the fact that it is soft, flexible, and to a certain degree elastic, and at the same time its resistance to crushing strains or pressure that tends to flatten the bodies against the backing strip is ofconsiderable degree due to the fact that the connected vertical edges of the sections Il or the lines of fold of the strip of flexible material forming the body, provides the desiredreinforcement against pressures that are directed from the outer face of the backing sheet through the packing layer to the object or `article that is covered thereby.

In Fig. 3 I have shown the crimped and folded strips applied to only one side of a backing or facing sheet and, in Fig. 4 the crimped and folded strips are applied to both sides of an intermediate flexible sheet, thus forming a protective packing element of double thickness.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the crimped and folded strips positioned between and secured to a pair of facing sheets and, this latter structure may be employed in the production of lining elements placed beneath iioor covers, such as carpets, rugs, and the like, for producing cushioning effects and minimizing wear on both the carpet or rug and the floor on which it is laid. I

Where the linings are produced for use beneath floor coverings, they may be treated with suitable chemicals to render them proof against moths and other insects. Y

By utilizing waste paper, such as discarded newspapers, magazines, and the like, in the production of the crimped and folded strips, my improved packing may be very economically manufactured and, as the crimped sections Il of the strip are disposed endwise on the backing or facing sheet or sheets, the packing or lining in addition to having a marked degree of resiliency is highly effective in resisting strains resulting from heavy pressures.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a packing and cushioning element that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture, and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved packing and cushioning element, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A packing and cushioning element comprising a backing sheet of thin, exible material and a plurality of elongated resilient flexible bodies secured to said backing sheet, each of which bodies is composed of a zigzag folded narrow strip `of thin, flexible material, the upper and lower fold portions connecting successive, similar rectangular sections which will be substantially at right angles to said backing sheet, the upper exposed fold portions of the folded strips being adapted to resist applied crushing pressure.

2. A packing and cushioning element comprising a backing sheet of thin, flexible material, a plurality of elongated resilient flexible bodies secured to said backing sheet, each of which bodies is composed of a zigzag folded narrow strip of thin, flexible material, the upper and lower fold portions connecting successive, similar rectangular sections which will be substantially at right angles to said backing sheet, the upper exposed fold portionsl of the folded strips being adapted to resist applied crushing pressurek and which bodies of crimped and folded strips of exible material are disposed in irregular compacted arrangement on said backing sheet.

3. A packing and cushioning element comprising a backing sheet of thin, flexible material and a plurality of elongated resilient flexible bodies secured to both sides of said backing sheet, each of Whichbodies is composed of a zigzag folded narrow strip of thin, flexible material, the upper and lower fold portions connecting successive, similar rectangular sections which will be substantially at right angles to said backing sheet, the upper exposed fold portions of the folded strips (being adapted to resist applied crushing pressure.

4. A packing and cushioning element comprising a backing sheet of thin, flexible material, a plurality of elongated resilient flexible bodies secured to both sides of said backing sheet, each of which bodies is composed of a zigzag folded narrow strip of thin, flexible material, the upper and lower fold portions connecting successive, similar rectangular sections which will be substantially at right angles to said backing sheet, the upper exposed fold portions of the folded strips being adapted toresist applied crushing pressure and which bodies of crimped and folded strips of `flexible material are disposed in irregular compacted arrangement on said backing sheet.

rDELWIN A. BRUGGER.. 

